Plain Dealers call for Deborah Forkas ouster as head of Cuyahoga County childrens services is unwarranted On behalf of the Alliance of Child Caring Service Providers, I would like to begin by expressing how saddened we are by the recent tragedies involving children who have had contact with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). As organizations that provide a full spectrum of child welfare and childrens mental health services to thousands of families annually, we are always encouraged when someone speaks up for children. However, we are troubled by The Plain Dealers recent editorials. Demanding the resignation of Director Deb Forkas is not the answer. As stated in your most recent editorial, the mandate to reunify families quickly follows federal and state laws. Coupled with the economic conditions that drive the underfunding of the local child welfare system, this has led to an environment in which caseworkers are expected to move children to permanency quickly. Forkas has been in her position for 15 months. She is a seasoned administrator who has done well and achieved many goals that improve the lives of families in our community. She needs to be part of the solution. We ask The Plain Dealer to partner with DCFS. Many of the issues identified are systemic; replacing Deb Forkas will not resolve them and will add further instability to an organization that is still dealing with the aftermath of reductions in work force and under pressure to meet the state requirements driven by federal mandates. We believe Forkas has the skills to address and implement necessary changes. David J. Lundeen, Cleveland
Posted on: Tue, 28 Oct 2014 15:12:34 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015